Gibson had faith in Boomers

ADAM Gibson never doubted his Boomers teammates could snatch a thrilling win over group leader Russia and head into a likely knockout showdown against the star-studded US team full of confidence.

In one of the best finishes seen at the Olympic Park Basketball Arena, Vitaliy Fridzon nailed two free throws to put Russia ahead by a point with 4.1 seconds remaining but that was all Patty Mills needed to land a match-winning three-pointer and confirm the 82-80 win.

``Four seconds is a long time in basketball and we practise those situations every training session so we know (coach) Brett (Brown) has plans for the end of quarters and he drew up another one for Patty there,'' Gibson said.

``He didn't have a great shooting night but it doesn't matter as long as you get that last one. That's all that counts and he came up big in the end.

``It was a bit of a dead rubber, we still play the USA, but we want to keep the momentum going and feel we are getting better each game and that was a big win because they were top of our pool.''

For the first time in the tournament, the 25-year-old Tasmanian did not receive any court time but said he was happy to sit it out in return for the win against the previously unbeaten group surprise package.

``That's the best thing about our side is we don't care who gets the winner or who's playing well or not, who's on the court or not, as long as we come away with a win,'' he said.

``Spain and Brazil were obviously the two best teams in the pool.

``With a tournament like this you're never really out of it, it's a marathon not a sprint and we've come back really well and now it's the big crossover game against the States.''

Having lost their opening two games, the Boomers have come back strongly with three wins to move up to second in group B.

Spain still has to play Brazil and Great Britain faces China to decide the final placings with fourth bringing with it a date with the tournament favourite and group A winner, the US.

Gibson, who achieved his dream of registering Olympic points with a couple of late three-pointers in the win against Great Britain, is not fazed by facing NBA greats Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as the competition switches to a larger venue, the North Greenwich Arena.

``We haven't thought about it too much because it's one game at a time but they're a team full of NBA talent and it's going to be a tough game, but any game is,'' he said.